Php 8.4 extension mbstring is not loaded after install

[ametad]

What happened?

I have created a devbox environment with: php 8.4 and the mbstring extension. But looking at the loaded extensions, mbstring is not one of them.

Steps to reproduce

1. devbox init
2. devbox add php@8.4
3. devbox add php84Extensions.mbstring
4. devbox shell
5. php -m , this outputs:

[PHP Modules]
Core
date
hash
json
libxml
pcre
Phar
random
Reflection
SPL
standard
xml

[Zend Modules]

No mbstring in the list of modules.

Command

No response

devbox.json

{
  "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jetify-com/devbox/0.14.2/.schema/devbox.schema.json",
  "packages": [
    "php@8.4",
    "php84Extensions.mbstring@latest"
  ],
  "shell": {
    "init_hook": [
      "echo 'Welcome to devbox!' > /dev/null"
    ],
    "scripts": {
      "test": [
        "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Devbox version

0.14.2

Nix version

2.26.2

What system does this bug occur on?

Linux (x86-64)

Debug logs

$ DEVBOX_DEBUG=1 devbox run -- php -m
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.031+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.031+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/home/anne/webdev/playground/packages/laravel-modules/devbox.json dur=235.019µs
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=php mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=php84Extensions.mbstring mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/home/anne/webdev/playground/packages/laravel-modules/devbox.json dur=92.541µs
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=php mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=php84Extensions.mbstring mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.032+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.033+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/nix/nix.go:143 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' --version --debug"
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.056+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/nix/nix.go:143 msg="nix command exited" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' --version --debug" cmd.path=/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin/nix cmd.pid=7150 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=23.283318ms
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.056+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/run.go:132 msg="run script" script=php args=[-m]
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.056+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.056+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.056+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/home/anne/webdev/playground/packages/laravel-modules/devbox.json dur=283.839µs
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=php mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=php84Extensions.mbstring mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.057+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=php84Extensions.mbstring mode=auto
Info: Running script "php" on /home/anne/webdev/playground/packages/laravel-modules
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.077+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/run.go:36 msg="executing script" cmd="[/nix/store/9nw8b61s8lfdn8fkabxhbz0s775gjhbr-bash-5.2p37/bin/sh -c \"/home/anne/webdev/playground/packages/laravel-modules/.devbox/gen/scripts/.cmd.sh\"]"
[PHP Modules]
Core
date
hash
json
libxml
pcre
Phar
random
Reflection
SPL
standard
xml

[Zend Modules]

time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.088+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.088+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.089+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/home/anne/webdev/playground/packages/laravel-modules/devbox.json dur=216.092µs
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.089+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=php mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.089+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=php84Extensions.mbstring mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.089+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.089+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.089+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto
time=2025-04-24T15:16:40.089+02:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg="" mode=auto

[ametad]

The problem I really have is that composer install is not working, in my fresh Laravel 12 project on Devbox.

composer install
The iconv OR mbstring extension is required and both are missing.
Install either of them or recompile php without --disable-iconv.
Aborting.

I think the problem is that the extension is not loaded on php cli.

There is a similar issues I just find out:

• Composer does not see PHP's imagick extension #2398
• PHP Composer doesn't see imagick because it uses a different php instance #356

But the fixes there, are not helping me. I still got the error that the extension(s) are missing.

composer.json

[ametad]

Hmm, there is something else going on I'm afraid: just running composer in the devbox shell is also displaying the error:

composer install
The iconv OR mbstring extension is required and both are missing.
Install either of them or recompile php without --disable-iconv.
Aborting.

This had nothing to do with project requirements. I've tried in a new "devbox" without a composer project, and it still gives the error.

Somehow devbox shell is not giving me a correct environment anymore. This has not been the case earlier, like a few days ago. I am going to try to re-install nixos and devbox. Hopefully things turn out to be alright again.

When someone has a good idea or hint, please share it with me. Thank you.

[ametad]

Devbox is not the problem, but my local configuration. I did an installation (of php etc.) as described from the Laravel docs: https://laravel.com/docs/12.x/installation#installing-php This does an installation of the so called "Laravel Herd Lite".

This does a opinionated install of Php and Composer in the home directory of the user account. It also changes the PHP_INI_SCAN_DIR and this affected the devbox shell. Checking the loaded php ini files with php --ini there you see a difference in the impact the installation of Herd has on the Devbox shell.

With Herd

Herd configuration in .bashrc is active and sets PHP_INI_SCAN_DIR.

php --ini
Configuration File (php.ini) Path: /nix/store/yyvlknkdjp14j1k6hibxhbk155zai7nc-php-8.4.6/lib
Loaded Configuration File:         /home/anne/webdev/playground/packages/laravel-modules/devbox.d/php/php.ini
Scan for additional .ini files in: /home/anne/.config/herd-lite/bin:
Additional .ini files parsed:      (none)

Without Herd

The Herd config is removed from .bashrc .

php --ini
Configuration File (php.ini) Path: /nix/store/yyvlknkdjp14j1k6hibxhbk155zai7nc-php-8.4.6/lib
Loaded Configuration File:         /home/anne/webdev/playground/packages/laravel-modules/devbox.d/php/php.ini
Scan for additional .ini files in: /nix/store/3b1dj6cm178gkmxjga0z7dx497bri79k-php-with-extensions-8.4.6/lib
Additional .ini files parsed:      /nix/store/3b1dj6cm178gkmxjga0z7dx497bri79k-php-with-extensions-8.4.6/lib/php.ini

Conclusion

There is no problem with Devbox, but my local configuration caused the problems.

[ametad]

Now all the extensions are loaded correctly:

php -m
[PHP Modules]
bcmath
calendar
Core
ctype
curl
date
dom
exif
fileinfo
filter
ftp
gd
gettext
gmp
hash
iconv
intl
json
ldap
libxml
mbstring
mysqli
mysqlnd
openssl
pcntl
pcre
PDO
pdo_mysql
PDO_ODBC
pdo_pgsql
pdo_sqlite
pgsql
Phar
posix
random
readline
Reflection
session
SimpleXML
soap
sockets
sodium
SPL
sqlite3
standard
sysvsem
tokenizer
xml
xmlreader
xmlwriter
Zend OPcache
zip
zlib

[Zend Modules]
Zend OPcache